


Stand By Me...Always

by KyMarie0801



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: A Royal Wedding brought to you by an actual Royal Wedding, Aaaaaaaaangst, I think thats what they're called when they have songs mixed in..., IgNoct weddings, M/M, Not all angst tho, Original Character(s), Post-World of Ruin, Weddings, World of Ruin, angst with a happpy ending, is it a song fic?, its cute i swear, whatever its called- its cute.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-20
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-05-09 11:15:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14714987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KyMarie0801/pseuds/KyMarie0801
Summary: There was one night in their childhoods that Ignis and Noctis found themselves listening to the radio. The song they heard became "their song". A testament to their friendship, and eventually so much more. Ignis has to live ten years without his Noctis, and it's only the song that keeps him going as it simultaneously destroys him. But all pains must come to an end, and he couldn't picture a better way for their story to finish.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My mother and I were watching the royal wedding yesterday and I came up with this. It was supposed to be fluffy but.... I just love the angst. Fluffy Stuffs at the end:)

            His phone lasted three years after Noctis left before he let the battery die for good. It wasn’t as though he used it often- most of the cell phone towers had long since been abandoned and overrun by daemons, leaving only a few areas where a call could be made or received. Darkness ran wild across the majority of the world, and electricity was being rationed for things far more important than Ignis’s ability to listen to the song. It was probably for the best, too. The song had always been a secret the two of them had shared back before the fall, but now… now the words pushed pain through his body as he cried in the endless night.

            In spite of this, he found himself singing softly under his breath as his fingers blindly worked at the dough in front of him.

            “When the night… has come… and the land is dark… and the moon… is the only light we see…”

            He stopped the motion of his hands and choked back a sob. He didn’t see any light, anywhere. How could he sing about not being afraid when in truth he was utterly terrified? How long would Noct be gone? Would he be the same when he came back?

            Three years of darkness begged him to stop, to give up, to give in. Surely Noctis would have been back by now... if he was ever coming back at all. Why should he wait for a call that may never come?

***

            It was seven years in when he heard the song again. He had made a habit of doing things on his own and not staying in one place for long. Gladio and Prompto were the only people allowed to know where he made his main base, and even then he asked them to not check in too often. Being around people who reminded him of the young king made his heart hurt.

            He supposed it would be inevitable to be reminded of darker feelings on one of his few excursions to an outpost for resources. A group of hunters sat gathered around a small table in what used to be Hammerhead’s garage, singing as they tried to keep despair at bay.

            “…I won’t be afraid, no I won’t be afraid…”

The words conjured up a picture in his mind on the first night after Noct discovered his father’s death. Ignis had held the young royal in his arms, humming the very same song that had comforted the both of them through the years before Noctis had interrupted here.

            He could practically feel the prince’s arms curling around him and hear his voice singing, _“Just as long as you stand by me.”_

            He left the small outpost, not caring that he hadn’t gotten what he came for.

***

            In the tenth year, the too few who survived the night rejoiced. Noctis was back. _His_ Noctis had come home. The runner who had chased him down while Ignis was in the middle of a fight had been crying tears of joy as he delivered the news, requesting he head to Hammerhead to meet the One True King.

            Noctis, his wonderful, beautiful Noctis had returned, and as soon as a moment found them alone the not-so-young-now king wrapped his arms around his blind advisor. Ignis cried in silence, crushing the other man to his chest and cradling his head atop the shorter male’s. He was back. Noctis was back. It took ten years, but he was home. It was worth it. It was worth every pain, and every sorrow, and every grief-ridden moment of the eternal night to hold this one person in his arms again. To think, all those times he nearly gave up, nearly ended his duties early because he missed him so much that he could hardly stand it.

            He was so wrapped up in the bliss of being together that he almost didn't notice the music that had started playing from Noct’s pocket. _If the sky… that we look upon… should tumble and fall…And the mountains should crumble to the sea…_ The song… _Their_ song…

            Oh, dear Noctis…

***

            Blades were swirling through the air, hissing and slicing their way through the daemons as Noct ascended to the throne room alone, armed only with his armiger and a secret plan.

            _I won’t cry. I won’t cry._

            He felt more than saw the light shatter through the building, the first sign of divinity they’d had in a decade. Magic pooled through their bond to their king and power gave them a stronger force. The daemons around them began to cry out in their pitiful, inhuman ways as the King of Kings purged the star.

            _I won’t shed a tear._

Even after the monsters had died, the steady thump of magic joining them together had not faded. Their plan had worked. Noct had gone beyond all expectations- even those of the gods.

            The trio made their way to the top of the steps where Noct exited the citadel to meet them, Ignis’s hands finding his charge’s almost like a second nature. Soon, heat began to crawl through the ruins of the crown city as the sun made its first round of day in far too long a time, the four friends the first to bask in its glory together on the steps of the palace. Noctis never let go of his hand.

            _Just as long as you stand by me._

***

            People had been flocking to the city in droves now that the threat of darkness was gone. It died down after a few months, as people focused less on going places and more on the reconstruction efforts. However, there was a new surge of travelers when the King of Light announced he was to be married. No one cared that the marriage was to another man, his advisor of all people, and celebrations abounded. Who could be bothered by old laws when they were all lucky to be alive?

            The morning sun found the pair in the King’s rooms, preparing to make the decent and tie their union officially. Music started humming through the air, and Ignis allowed Noct to fiddle with the black tie he couldn’t see to fix himself.

            _Their song_. How sweet that he would play it now, its words meaning so much more to them than they had when they were children. It wasn’t just a song anymore, it was a promise- one they intended to showcase to the whole world and all of history that would come after today.

            “Say Ignis,” the king said softly, brushing his arms over the advisor’s shoulders.

            Said advisor tilted his head to one side, indicating without words that he was listening to whatever his lover had to say.

            “Will you stand by me?”

            Laughter ensued as Ignis wrapped his arms around Noct’s midsection, twirling him around once or twice before letting his feet settle back on the ground. Oh, his beloved Noctis. His sweet, cheesy, wonderful, beautiful Noctis.

            He couldn’t suppress the chuckle that filled his voice with joy unlike the which he had ever felt before as he answered.

            “Always.”


	2. The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From It's Tree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One year later:)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FLUUUUUUFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

_One Year Later_

“Describe her to me again.”

            Noctis smiled as he squeezed his husband’s hand, his eyes drifting again towards their playing daughter. It was a request he had made often since Amelia had been adopted by them several months ago, her little four year old eyes shining with excitement as she learned that she could have not only one, but _two_ dads if she wanted. The girl’s birth parents were both a mystery lost to the night, and the sickness she’d endured practically alone had stopped her from growing as fast as the other kids, leaving her small and weak, but they loved her.

            “She’s beautiful,” he said, trying to find the right words to explain the picture in front of them. “She’s wearing the yellow dress Prompto gave her, the one with the blue ribbon around the middle, and even with her pretty brown hair up in the curly pigtails, it’s brushing against her shoulders. When she spins the light catches the amber tones in it. One of the bows keeping her hair up is crooked, but it’s cute.”

            The little girl spun and danced by herself on the cobbled walkway of the Citadel’s gardens a moment longer before turning to pick up her favorite toy.

            “She’s dancing with the moogle Iris and Gladio gave her for Christmas now, it’s almost too big for her, it's really big and she's still so small. She looks healthy though Iggy. She looks happy.”

            “Our little girl,” his husband breathed, his voice hitching with the oncoming happy tears. “Sometimes I wonder if this is all a dream. One day I may wake up to realize I don’t have the most wonderful husband in the world or the most beautiful blessing of a daughter. It’s all so…”

            “Perfect?” Noct supplied.

            “Yes, absolutely perfect.”

            The king slumped down on the bench a little lower, allowing his head to rest on Ignis’s shoulder as he watched the little girl play. She held the moogle out at arm’s length and very seriously offered it a leaf she’d just plucked from the nearby bush, insisting that it take her up on her hospitality. What a cute little princess she would make. Already, she was showing the manners Ignis had been covertly teaching her when she invited him to join her and her stuffed animals for tea parties.

            Ignis was a wonderful father. Noctis had doubts about how well he was doing for his part, but Iggy was fantastic. He sat with their daughter and taught her all the little things she would need to know as an heir to the throne, and somehow managed to do it while making sure she was having fun, unlike Noct’s own upbringing. He supposed that was one of the joys of having two parents- there was almost always someone to play with.

            Where Ignis was calm and attentive in his interactions though, Noctis was surely the “rowdy parent”. He and Amelia were known by many to come rushing around corners and causing general mayhem throughout the citadel when his kingly duties could be put aside for his family. If both fathers were indisposed she spent time with Uncle Prompto out in the city, quickly learning how to see beauty through the eyes of an artist. That knowledge was often displayed on both new and old council reports in bright pink and green crayons.

            Said young artist was now happily flittering around the garden again, her feet trying to lead her and her moogle toy through a basic waltz step that her fathers had shown her. Laughter bubbled in the king’s chest, his daughter inspiring a joy she could not yet fully comprehend.

            “Noct,” Ignis said as he nudged him with an elbow. “Listen to her.”

            He quieted his chuckles, straining to hear past the rustle of the plants around them and the distant roar of life outside. Ignis had always been more sensitive to sound than him, especially now that he used it to partly make up for his lack of sight.

            Sure enough, as Noct filtered out the interference he could hear his little girl humming as she danced. That in and of itself was nothing new, she loved music, but this time it was different. This time it wasn’t the made up jumble of a small child having fun, but a distinct pattern. One her two dads had been listening to for the majority of their lives, and it had almost become like a trademark to them after having it played at the wedding. While the music wasn’t lacking at their home now, the song was usually played at night after their little angel had gone to sleep.

            “What are you singing, sunshine?” Ignis smiled.

            “Papa and Daddy’s special song!” she smiled brightly as she bounced over to find a snack in their bags. “Uncle Prom and Aunt Cindy showed it to me! I don’t remember the words though.”

            “Why don’t we make it Papa, Daddy, and Amelia’s special song?” Ignis hummed as he lifted the girl to his knee, smoothing her slightly wayward locks with a brush of his hand. “What do you think of that, Daddy?”

            “I think it’s a great idea,” Noctis smiled, bopping their daughter on the nose before handing her a small sweet from his pocket.

            “Don’t spoil her dinner,” Ignis mock scowled, once again being perfectly aware of what was happening even without being able to see. His two greatest loves only giggled, knowing that Papa was playing with them.

            “It starting to get late sweetheart,” Noctis said, taking Amelia from her father’s lap and setting her back on the ground. “Why don’t you go get Mr. Moogles and we’ll all go meet Uncle Gladdy and Auntie Iris for dinner?”

            “Is today her birthday?” the little girl chattered, picking up her playthings.

            “Yes it is, and so everyone is going to eat together to celebrate and let her know we love her.”

            “Everyone?!”

            “Everyone,” Ignis smiled as he handed Noct the bag and lifted the child to nestle on his hip. “Auntie Iris, Uncle Gladdy, Aunt Cindy and Uncle Prom, Cousin Talcott, Grandpa Cid, everyone. And we don’t want to be late and miss the fun now do we?”

            “Nu-uh!!! Let’s go!” she squealed with joy.

            Noctis paused for a moment, watching the two laugh as they began to walk towards the exit, Ignis never missing a beat as he carried their daughter around the obstacles the garden possessed.

            That was his. Those two perfect people were his family. He was a part of that, and the giddy feeling of joy settled into his chest. He thought he’d have gotten used to it by now, but it was still there, every day, pulling at his heart and reminding him of how lucky he was to be alive in such a beautiful world.

            The two beat him to the car by a while, Noct lingering behind despite Iggy’s distaste for being late. His husband was already settled into his place in the passenger seat, so opposite of the way things had been in years past, when Noct slid behind the wheel with Amelia excitedly bouncing in her seat in the back. A thin green cable connected his husband’s phone to the dash, a quick voice command selecting a file from its database.

            “As per the Princess Amelia’s request,” Ignis smiled as they pulled away from the parking place.

            _When the night…. Has come… And the land is dark…_

The girl happily sang along in the backseat as they made their way to the restaurant, her silly la-la’s the perfect sound to bring joy to her father’s hearts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DADS!! I think they'd be frickin awesome parents guys! Also- I may just have to write a billion ficlets of Dad IgNoct because this was just so much fun:) What do you think?

**Author's Note:**

> HEYO!!!!!!!! Fluffy stuff at the end, as promised:) Kinda short, I know, but I'm thinking that maybe I'll add two more scenes as other chapters if people seem interested- one as a year later fic with cute stuffs and another as the night they first discover the song... but I dunno, depends on if people read this and like it haha.


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